John Meyer point out the dangers of biking on busy roads very well. And he talks to bicyclists who have experienced aggressive behavior on the part of motorists. All of this is true, unfortunately. I am an occasional bicyclist myself.
But there is another side to these issues: In my experience, the bicyclists are often very foolhardy in the way that they use designated bike lanes. Here is an example that I have witnessed: Some bicyclers ride on the white line or an inch or two inside the line that delineates the “traffic” side of the lane. That lane is probably three or four feet wide, I believe. It is beyond my comprehension why they will risk injury or death to ride that way. Are they daring a motorist to hit them? Are they asserting their right to ride anywhere they choose? Is it so important to talk to companions while they ride that common sense and survival are forgotten?
I ride next to the concrete cur, if there is one, or as far to the right of the white line as I can, I still have been challenged by an RTD bus and several tons of automobiles over the years.
As a motorist, I resent the bicyclers who crowd the autos when riding. If I hit one of them because they swerve into the auto lane, I’m sure I would not only be grief-stricken, but punished as well.
I urge all bicyclers to leave a “margin for error.”
Bob Bamford, Aurora
